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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24073903">The Play's The Thing</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ranguvar82/pseuds/ranguvar82'>ranguvar82</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Silence and Strength [37]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, References to Shakespeare, South Downs Cottage (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:21:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,105</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24073903</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ranguvar82/pseuds/ranguvar82</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Denise is starting to study Shakespeare in English, and is less than excited. Maybe Crowley and Aziraphale can change her mind. Or at least her perspective.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Silence and Strength [37]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1630903</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>129</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Play's The Thing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Play’s The Thing</p><p> </p><p>Ellen Carter was chopping up carrots for dinner when Denise came into the kitchen, a frown on her face. “Hey Mum.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey yourself. How was school?”</p><p> </p><p>Denise grabbed some juice and poured herself a glass. She took a long sip before answering. “Oh, it’s going great. We’re starting to study Shakespeare in English. I can’t wait.” The withering sarcasm was apparent. Ellen grinned to herself as Denise flopped onto a nearby chair.</p><p> </p><p>“Sounds exciting.”</p><p> </p><p>Denise snorted. “Please. Shakespeare’s boring. All those stupid long words.”</p><p> </p><p>Ellen placed the carrots into a bowl. “You know, Ezra’s mentioned once or twice that he and Tony have been to quite a lot of plays. Odds are they’ve seen at least one performance of Shakespeare. You could ask them what it’s like to see one live as opposed to simply reading it from an English class textbook.”</p><p> </p><p>Denise sighed. “I dunno, last time I saw Tony he was...pretty pissed at me.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, because you and Dahlia had done something monumentally stupid. I don’t blame him for being mad. You’re both just lucky it wasn’t Ezra.” Denise shuddered in agreement. “Still, it wouldn’t hurt to go talk to them.”</p><p> </p><p>“ S’pose not. Thanks Mum.” Denise gave her mother a quick peck on the cheek before heading out.</p><p> </p><p>“Be back in time for dinner!”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When Denise reached the cottage, she took a deep breath before knocking. There was the sound of footsteps, and seconds later Aziraphale opened the door, wearing an apron with angel wings on it and covered in flour and dough. “Denise! What a nice surprise! Come in, please!” He ushered her in, grinning. “We were making ginger cookies, and well, someone thought it would be a good idea to have a flour fight. Crowley! Company!”</p><p> </p><p>Crowley came out of the kitchen, covered in bits of dough and flour. He glared at Denise, who waved shyly back. ‘Staying out of trouble?’ She nodded, and he relaxed. ‘Angel, I win this round.’</p><p> </p><p>“Nonsense, I got my batch rolled out and in the oven before you. Denise, would you like some cookies?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes please. Umm, listen, I came over here to ask you guys something.” Aziraphale nodded for her to continue. “You’ve seen a lot of plays, yeah?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.”</p><p> </p><p>“Shakespeare’s?”</p><p> </p><p>Crowley and Aziraphale grinned at each other. “You...could say that, yes. We were both at the first and rather disastrous performance of Hamlet.”</p><p> </p><p>Denise gawped. “But...Miss Devon told us that Hamlet was a success right from the start!”</p><p> </p><p>Crowley shook his head, laughing in his silent way. ‘Far from it. Then again, it is one of his gloomy ones. Never did like those.’</p><p> </p><p>“So what happened to make it a success?” Denise asked. Crowley rolled his eyes and pointed at Aziraphale. “You did it?!”</p><p> </p><p>Aziraphale blushed. “Err...in a roundabout way, yes. See, Crowley was supposed to go to Edinburgh to do a temptation, and he’s not big on horses, and I was supposed to go there too and do a blessing, so he proposed a...a deal, and rigged the coin toss...” Crowley gaped at him, and Aziraphale poked his nose. “Yes, you wily serpent, I figured it out. Took me a few hours. Anyway, I asked him very nicely if he..”</p><p> </p><p>‘You simpered at me. You gave me the Puppy Dog eyes, and you simpered. You know I’m helpless against those, Angel. Always have been.’</p><p> </p><p>Aziraphale’s indignant reply was cut short by the oven timer going off. He went into the kitchen, and Crowley turned to Denise. ‘So why you asking, anyway?’</p><p> </p><p>“We’re studying him in class, and it’s going to be so boring!”</p><p> </p><p>“Nonsense.” Aziraphale returned from the kitchen with a silver platter. On it was a teapot and three tea cups and a pile of cookies. He set the tray down. “Do help yourself, my dear. Now, what makes you think Shakespeare will be boring?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well...he’s so hard to read! All those words!”</p><p> </p><p>Aziraphale looked thoughtful, then snapped his fingers. A book appeared in his hand, and he flipped through it, then handed it over to Denise. “Read the first..four lines on that page.”</p><p> </p><p>Denise rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She cleared her throat. “Hamlet, thou hast thy Father much...”</p><p> </p><p>“Stop. Read them again, but listen to the cadence of the words. Gertrude is upset. You’re just...reading it like you would an instruction manual. Shakespeare’s words have a rhythm to them.”</p><p> </p><p>Denise growled. “It’s pointless!”</p><p> </p><p>Aziraphale shook his head. “No. It’s meant to be performed. Try again. Here, I’ll give you Hamlet’s opening. ‘Now, Mother, what’s the matter?’” He said it in a mocking tone.</p><p> </p><p>“Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.” Denise put as much anger into the words as she could.</p><p> </p><p>Crowley gave her a thumbs up.</p><p> </p><p>Aziraphale beamed at her. “Now you’re getting it! This is one of the more emotional moments in the play, when Hamlet confronts his mother about her adultery.”</p><p>‘One of the gloomier parts.’</p><p> </p><p>Aziraphale nodded. “Indeed, and it can be very easy for the actors to overdo the emotion, to go from cathartic to catastrophe. We’ve seen plenty of both. Though I have to say, that video we watched, the one with the actor who looks like Crowley, that was quite good, if a bit too modern for my tastes.”</p><p> </p><p>‘I thought it was great.’</p><p> </p><p>Denise took a cookie and a sip of tea. Perfect, as always. “Okay, but I still don’t get it. Why should I care?”</p><p> </p><p>“Because despite the gloominess, this play has lasted centuries because the man was talented, even before Crowley’s miracle. Denise, you can’t expect to grasp Shakespeare in just one class or lesson. You need to experience him. Immerse yourself. Don’t just read him, perform him. Find new ways to keep him alive. And if you find Hamlet too gloomy, there’s other ones, happier ones. Give him a chance.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll try.” Denise stood. “I gotta go, I’m late for dinner. Bye guys!”</p><p> </p><p>After she left, Crowley snuggled up to his angel. ‘You know, I helped old Will with a few revisions of Hamlet.’</p><p> </p><p>“Oh? How so?”</p><p> </p><p>Crowley blushed. ‘Might’ve...added a few lines to the play.’</p><p> </p><p>Aziraphale smiled at him. “What lines, my darling?”</p><p> </p><p>Crowley stared into his love’s eyes. ‘Doubt that the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt...I love.’</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, Crowley...” Aziraphale grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss. “And have my lips the sin they have took?”</p><p> </p><p>‘Wrong play, Angel’. Aziraphale giggled. ‘Oh trespass sweetly urged, give me my sin again.’</p><p> </p><p>“Always, Star Maker. Always.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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